This is one of those diaries I hesitate to write, given my aversion to asking for help. However, because of the email I received, and how supportive this community has been, I'm just going to let it flow.
As some of you know, I have been struggling for the past two years to find a publishing house for my book. It's a book editors have largely praised while passed on it, emailing my agent things like "this is a truly unforgettable book, but your client doesn't have a PLATFORM (a known following), and so he's too much of a risk."
I've heard it from a lot of people – that I need to build a platform – which prompted me to run to the media in the hopes of making my story known widely, an effort that brought me in contact with a producer from 60 Minutes in an effort to build this elusive platform (an effort I abandoned).
But until now, I didn't really understand what that meant, exactly. Build a platform. What are editors looking for? What do they want to see?
Today, an editor finally stepped up and told me, point blank. Which is why I need your help.
When an editor passes on my work while simultaneously praising it, I typically just swallow, shake my head and move on. I never email them back. That's bad form.
However, last week, I couldn't help myself. For this editor from an imprint at a MAJOR house, who will remain anonymous, wrote this (I swear) to my agent:
This book is enormously moving and absorbing, and David is an uncommon writer who tells his story with the literary grace and narrative deftness one hopes to find in a story this compelling...however, in these inclement times I can't persuade myself we'd find a guaranteed market without a larger platform.
I wish I felt otherwise, because I do admire what David has accomplished. In any case, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to consider Shrapnel, and all best wishes for success in finding the right home for it.
After reading, and after banging my head against the wall, I steeled myself to email back, asking, essentially: what the fuck do you want to see? What platform?
And to her credit, she emailed back and said, in no uncertain terms, do this:
1) Build up your "street cred" by publishing in major newspapers and magazines. (Something I'm already working on, with my recent pieces in the Jerusalem Post and such.)
2) Build up proof that you have a built-in following or readership. How to do this, build this proof? Outside of becoming a staff writer for the NY Times or becoming a sudden reality T.V. celebrity, she essentially told me to do (among many other things) the following a) create an online publication (not a blog!), showcasing your work or the work of others you curate, which has demonstrated, substantial traffic, or b) demonstrate your acquired platform through "new media" means, such as a Twitter audience or RSS feed stats.
Meaning: you need to prove to me that a lot of folks out there think what you have to say is important, and would BUY the book if we publish it.
Just so you know, I'm about to vomit in my mouth right now for typing the next sentence.
Will you follow me on Twitter? Mine is the David_EHG with the underscore. (While I kinda just started, I promise I've already got the hang of it, and am witty and informative...blah, blah, blah.) And please, only do so if you actually value my writing.
Okay, I did just throw up a little bit. Sorry.
Honestly, I really wanted to write a diary about the protests in Israel tonight, about how almost every municipality in Israel will be striking tomorrow in solidarity with the mass protests taking place. (Don't worry, I'll do that tomorrow.)
But for now, I've decided to instead, just for tonight, ask for fucking help.
Thanks everyone.
Author's Note: Your kindness, generosity and willingness to offer advice is truly appreciated and humbling.